Frad of U.S. Delegation to Palestine Favors Return of Displaced Jews to Native Lands

Rep. Victor Wickersham of Oklahoma, who has just returned from a visit to Palestine as the head of an eleven-man Congressional delegation, today told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he would recommend to the House of Representatives the return to their former homes of such Jews as could be returned from the displaced persons camps in Europe.

For those who cannot be returned to their homes, Rep. Wickersham will urge immigration to the United States and other countries which are members of the United Nations. Only as a last alternative will he propose the sending of such Jews to Palestine, which he believes should be placed under an international trusteeship.

“My group,” he said, “feels that Palestine should be an international religious center available to all religions. I don’t think Jews should be sent without the full approval of the people in Palestine, Arabs and Jews.”

Urging”less agitation” on the Palestine issue in the United States, Rep. Wickersham said: “It is not the Jews of the United States who want to go to Palestine. If the Jews of the. United States did not subsidize those who want to proceed to Palestine, they would be returning to their countries, whence they came. If more Jews are sent in, I fear there will be trouble with the Arabs.”

Asked if he favored removing immigration restrictions in the United States in order to accommodate the displaced Jews now in the camps in Germany who could not be returned to their former homes, Wickersham said: “Les. if the other United Nations will take their proportion.” He emphasized that “those-of us who are anxious to force the displaced Jews into Palestine, should be willing to divide the others up among ourselves.” With 56 United Nations, that would not make a great number for any nation be pointed out, adding that he thought that most of his eleven-man delegation agrees with his viewpoint.